Tweaking Tails

There is bucolic tranquility in the sight of two horses dozing in the sun, side by side, nose to tail, with their tails rhythmically swishing as they leisurely work at keeping flies off their bodies. That is the basic purpose of the equine tail

Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

There is bucolic tranquility in the sight of two horses dozing in the sun, side by side, nose to tail, with their tails rhythmically swishing as they leisurely work at keeping flies off their bodies. That is the basic purpose of the equine tail as designed by nature–keeping pesky insects at bay. That’s a pretty simple job, but the tail’s usefulness doesn’t end there. Man’s intervention through the years has made the horse’s tail a subject of controversy that has fostered a variety of rules and regulations in the show ring concerning what can and can’t be done with a tail to enhance a horse’s appearance.


Ironically, what is considered appropriate in the way of tails for one breed is completely inappropriate for another. The Saddlebred is the “Peacock of the Show Ring,” and as such a Saddlebred’s tail often undergoes a surgical process to present the “appropriate” look, which is a tail that arcs upward, then cascades down, often trailing to the ground.


The Quarter Horse exhibitor, on the other hand, wants a tail that lies dead and flat as the horse goes around the ring in a pleasure class, helping to create an image of docility and quiet manners.


Then, there is the Arabian, a horse that naturally holds its tail aloft, but has received some unpleasant assistance in achieving that special look by unscrupulous exhibitors

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Share

Written by:

Les Sellnow was a prolific freelance writer based near Riverton, Wyoming. He specialized in articles on equine research, and operated a ranch where he raised horses and livestock. He authored several fiction and nonfiction books, including Understanding Equine Lameness and Understanding The Young Horse. He died in 2023.

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

Where do you primarily feed your horse?
314 votes · 314 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!